Newton Rachel - West [CD]

West was recorded in Rachel's late grandparents' old croft house in Achnahaird, Wester Ross. Always striving to achieve something different with each release, Rachel decided that she would make a completely solo album this time around, simply featuring her voice and acoustic and electro harps with no guest musicians. As this felt a more personal and intimate project, she wanted to record in a space that held a special meaning to her. Her grandparents' house, where she spent all her school holidays from Edinburgh as a child and the characters who passed through it over the years have had a profound impact on Rachel as a person and a musician. The album was arranged and recorded on a beautifully sunny week in July 2018 with trips to the beach and out to sea on Rachel's father's boat in between takes. Rachel's longtime collaborator and sound engineer Mattie Foulds travelled north to record it all, with Somhairle MacDonald joining them to take photographs and create the artwork. Thespectacular views of the landscape from the house have influenced the music, with short improvisations named after the mountains threading their way through the album.